German politicians and carmakers to hold second diesel summit

Environmentalists have said measures taken at the first diesel summit on Aug. 2 to cut pollution and repair the industry's battered reputation did not go far enough.REUTERS | August 14, 2017, 07:49 IST

The first summit took place almost two years after Volkswagen admitted to cheating U.S. diesel emissions tests and environmentalists have vowed to press on with legal action aimed at banning polluting vehicles.

BERLIN: German politicians and car company bosses will hold a second diesel summit after they agreed at a first meeting to overhaul engine software on 5.3 million diesel cars, a government spokesman said on Friday, though he did not name a date.

Environmentalists have said measures taken at the first diesel summit on Aug. 2 to cut pollution and repair the industry's battered reputation did not go far enough.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said while the first important steps had been agreed at that summit, Germany would not simply return to business as usual.

"Four groups of experts have been deployed to debate what possible further measures can be taken," he told reporters. "They are starting work immediately and therefore it is logical that there will be another meeting."

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government has come under mounting pressure ahead of a national election next month for not doing enough to crack down on vehicle pollution and for being too close to powerful carmakers.

A spokeswoman for the Transport Ministry said: "From our point of view it's not yet necessary to talk about the date of a diesel summit."

The first summit took place almost two years after Volkswagen admitted to cheating U.S. diesel emissions tests and environmentalists have vowed to press on with legal action aimed at banning polluting vehicles.